The Sierra Leone School Green Club (SLSGC) and the Society for Climate Change Communication (S4CCC) have formed a collaborative action-oriented partnership, to implement a climate change mitigation capacity building project for schools and communities in the Western Rural District of Sierra Leone.
The project is aimed at improving environmental governance in schools, using participatory approaches that bring together stakeholders to share experience on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The project will also develop the skills of pupils, promote environmental friendly lifestyles so that pupils can protect their environment and mitigate the impact of climate change.
The project is funded by the Sierra Leone Poverty Alleviation Charity Trust (SALPACT), a registered charity based in the UK.
The Head of SLSGC Alhassan Sesay said: “whilst implementing this project we will establish ten school Green Clubs in the western rural district- with each club comprising of fifty pupils. Also, each participating school to put in place a fully operational waste management system and orchards and plant economical trees within its compound.”
The Director of S4CCC Alfred Fornah registered his commitment to ensure that the project is well implemented and create the required impacts.
“This project is a pilot for possible roll out across Sierra Leone if successful. So we will endeavour to play our own part in order to achieve the expected results” Mr Fornah said.
According to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sierra Leone Poverty Alleviation Charitable Trust (SALPACT), UK Charity Registration Number 1177207 – Mr Abdul Rashid Thomas, “SALPACT was established in August 2017 after the devastating floods in Freetown, which killed over a thousand people, leaving hundreds of families homeless and several children orphaned.
“The aim of SALPACT is to pursue the advancement of education and the prevention or relief of poverty for children in poverty or need, by the provision of grants to charities or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty.
“With the generous charitable giving of our donors all over the world, we are working with local communities, schools and NGOs who are taking action to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change and deforestation in Sierra Leone, such as trees planting and school farming.
“The Trustees of SALPACT are pleased to have entered into partnership with the Society for Climate Change Communication – SL (S4CCC) and the Sierra Leone Schools Green Club (SLSGC), to deliver a project aimed at addressing climate change mitigation capacity building for Schools and communities in rural areas of Sierra Leone.
“SALPACT is providing grant-aid to enable the implementation of the pilot project. Following the completion of the pilot, the project will be rolled out across all districts of Sierra Leone. SALPACT will also establish an Annual National Schools Farming Produce Competition, which will be implemented by SLSGC and S4CCC in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture in Sierra Leone.
“The aim is to encourage school children to change their perception of farming and agriculture, and to promote the growing of crops as a business and a way of life. Above all, it is hoped that in so doing, school children can become champions of environmental sustainability in Sierra Leone.”
The first workshop and launching ceremony of the project will take place on the 12th of January, 2019 at the Freetown Teacher’s College.
